Okay, it's Saturday, so I'm going to assume I can get away with a little venting. Ready? Good, here we go:
People who latch onto modern lingo and begin to use it so much you just want to grab them by the ears and shake them until they quit using the lingo. Okay, now that I got that out of my system I have a serious question about this, and about one of the most over-used (and in my ever so humble opinion) misused word going:
RESONATE
Mere words cannot paint the picture I'd like to paint, to display how much I can't stand how often I hear this word. However, if you have a box of crayons handy (doesn't everyone?) get out the black one, grab a piece of printer paper (you know you have that) and scribble all over the paper as hard as you can with the black crayon. Mash the crayon as hard as you can and scribble until it's all gone. There, that was very theraputic was it not? Now, look at your picture: that's how much I can't stand the over-use of the word resonate.
So here's my questions (and yes I'm serious): If you use this word, before you began to use this word (500 times a day, both orally and written), what word did you formerly use to express the same thing you're expressing now, with resonate? Secondly, what was so wrong about the word you previously used, and why do you no longer use it? Have you completely retired that word or do you bring it out only on special occaisions and/or with people that would look at you like you had 11 heads if you used the word resonate? And third, have you noticed that everyone else uses this word too, when previous to maybe just about a year ago, very (VERY) few people used this word, and even just 5 years ago there was NO ONE who used this word unless, they meant the literal definition of it?
Now I know someone's going to come along and get all defensive because they use this word and like this word, but I'm not trying to offend anyone here so don't get snarky okay? It IS an overused word and it's incredibly annoying. Sorta like when people started saying "sick" for good, and "phat" for attractive. It sounded ludicrous and still does. I have no issue with slang in general, and yes we all use it so don't go thinking I'm some kind of a hypocrite or anything, okay? The thing is, this is like a runaway train that just keeps plowing over people in every direction. It bugs me to no end!
Here's the most common example of how I see and hear this word used:
"I really like what you said, that resonates with me". Now here's the way I read that or hear it when I see people say it:
"I really like what you said, upon saying what you just said I magically transformed into an electronic or musical device and your words matched the same frequency as my own frequency, then I suddenly had the urge to respond with words like authentic and relational".
I'm sorry, I just can't help it. I wasn't even alive during the beatnick phase of the 50's but I know enough about the hep cats in the performance art cafes that used the same kind of flowery (no doubt hashish/opiate induced) language that made the entire generation of parents in that day wonder if their kid's brains had in fact been removed by alien pod people.
Am I overreacting? Probably. It's just one of those words I can't stand to hear. Like "liberry" for library, or "ax" for ask, or "aight" for allright. We've slaughtered the language and the pod people have arrived.
There oughta be a law...
(Now watch how many people go through this post and point out my own slaughter of proper English and grammar, lol. I know I'm guilty of it to in some ways, but if I ever use the word resonate to refer to anything other that electronic or audio tones, you may feel free to grab me by the ears and shake me until all the lame-lingo falls out of my head).
Whew... vent over. Boy do I ever feel better!
